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Manny Pacquiao fights doubt amid talk of slippage

LAS VEGAS — The murmurs, the whispers and the shrugs from his mystified fans continue unabated: What's up with Manny Pacquiao these days? With diminished ring performances in recent fights, is the little

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LAS VEGAS — The murmurs, the whispers and the shrugs from his mystified fans continue unabated: What's up with Manny Pacquiao these days?

With diminished ring performances in recent fights, is the little fellow who used to be considered the preeminent pound-for-pound boxer in the world suddenly backsliding toward eventual irrelevancy?

Self-doubt shares a stool in the corner with the 33-year-old Filipino fighter. For three grueling decades he's fought professionally after emerging from the slums of Manila to become an international superstar.

"He asked me and I told him he's not (nearing the end),'' trainer Freddie Roach told USA TODAY Sports. "The thing is, you have to prove you're not.''

Roach has devised an elementary blueprint for victory Saturday night when Pacquiao fights Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico in a rare-for-the-modern-era fourth confrontation. The Hall of Fame trainer wants the welterweight, who narrowly has claimed two disputed decisions and a draw against Marquez, to engage the sneaky counterpuncher and let his fists fly like the old days.

Pacquiao's last five fights have gone the distance; his last stoppage was Miguel Cotto (TKO 12) in 2009.

Leading to Saturday's bout (HBO pay-per-view, 9 p.m. ET), Roach said he told Pacquiao: "Let's face it: If you don't go out there and knock this guy out, you're not going to win (another decision).''

Hear what each fighter's camp has to say about what this fight means to them.

Among the theories for Pacquiao's perceived slippage:

Weight and see: Exceptional fighters who move up several divisions often hold their own. Eventually, wear and tear on the body and naturally larger opponents take a toll. They are competitive but no longer as dominant.

Pacquiao, a former eight-division champion, has packed on as much as 48 pounds since he turned pro as a 106-pound light-flyweight in 1995.

In recent bouts, Pacquiao claims he has suffered cramping in his legs. Roach told USA TODAY he believes the problem is located in his fighter's head, calling it a "mental issue.''

Nevertheless, in recent fights Pacquiao has fought complacently and flat-footed, failing to vary his rhythm and pace from round to round. "Your legs will go in boxing,'' Roach said. "My legs were gone at 26.''

No trepidation: As he was ascending the weight ladder, and preparing to take on elite foes, Pacquiao engaged in ultra-demanding conditioning programs that emphasized plyometrics (speed and repetition) and isometrics (static stretching).

That' s when he hired strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza, who devised a far more strenuous workout regimen to build his power.

"When there's a fear factor, it's very easy to get up for an opponent,'' Ariza said. "(Oscar) De La Hoya was bigger and stronger. (Ricky) Hatton was a strong, aggressive puncher. (Miguel) Cotto was at his best (then). (The lack of fear) is where we lost it.''

Pacquiao defeated all three. He hasn't looked the same since.

Distractions: As a fighter, politician, singer, philanthropist, endorser and television personality, Pacquiao "has more on his plate any anyone I've ever seen,'' Roach said.

Distractions often overwhelm the finest of fighters. Eventually, many stop approaching their craft as a full-time vocation. A mega-star, such as Pacquiao, confronts an even greater challenge to remain dedicated. "It's all about time management,'' he said.

The Filipino congressman abandoned his foray into singing, sold his nightclub, halted a cockfighting business and eliminated his once-voracious appetite for gambling, particularly baccarat. "I remember wiring a casino in Australia $500,000 to cover a gambling (debt),'' said Bob Arum, his promoter.

Pacquiao says he now reads the Bible daily. "Some of his vices did catch up with him,'' Roach said. "But champions are a (special) breed.

"Sometimes I think giving up all the bad things was bad for him. Sometimes I want to say, 'Manny, go back to your old ways.'